The past two blogs I wrote about the need for businesses to make some kind of advertising effort in order to compete and reinforce their brand.

I also laid out a short outline of how businesses should go about preparing for an advertising campaign. (To read these please visit our website.)

Today I’d like to mention a few inexpensive ways that companies might begin their advertising efforts. Of course, I suggest that these should be carefully thought out before jumping in, with regard to strategy, target audience, etc. (Read our blog, “Get Ready to Advertise!”)

1) The first of these inexpensive approaches is a PRESS RELEASE. Many CEOs don’t realize the value of a simple press release. It’s a low-cost opportunity to get your company noticed, to get in print publications like newspapers and trade magazines, and also online publications. Even your local Chamber of Commerce may publish your news.

If you have a new hire, a special achievement or award, a new product, a new location, anything newsworthy is an opportunity to get the word out. I suggest that the release should be professionally written for the best impact. There are press distribution companies that will handle distribution to online and print publications that are specific to your demographic. Both the writing and the distribution are relatively inexpensive.

2) Another low-cost approach is BLOGGING via WordPress and SOCIAL MEDIA like LinkedIn, Facebook, and others. These are free for the user, although we suggest using a professional for the writing and posting. It’s a way for your company to offer helpful advice, education, and topics of interest to your customers and potential customers—they shouldn’t be “sell” pieces. It is a way for you to portray yourself as knowledgeable and helpful, an industry leader or guru, so to speak. In this way you get people to like and respect you and, indirectly, to be more apt to do business with you.

Importantly, blogging and social media should be done on an ongoing basis to reinforce your brand. Your followers will be waiting to read your next interesting installment.

3) EMAIL BLASTS are a great way to get the word out about a new promotion, special offer, or other company news. Using a program like Constant Contact or MailChimp, you build a database of customers and prospects from whom you have permission to contact. You or a skilled professional write up the email—you can even include a coupon!—and send it to the database you’ve created.

4) The last means I’d like to mention is PERSONAL CONTACT and NETWORKING—the good, old-fashioned face to face. Join your local chamber and go to their events. Most have tables where you can display your company brochure. It’s a great way to reinforce your brand so that when a potential customer needs your product or service they won’t hesitate because they already know and respect you.

All of these methods will help to get visitors to your website to find out more about you, or callers to your business to place an order. Why don’t you start today?

I hope you’ve found this blog helpful in starting your advertising efforts. Keep an eye out for our next blog.

We get results for our clients because of our extensive research of the client company and research of their target audience, an advertising strategy based on this research, and killer creative that speaks to prospects in a language they understand and that delivers a consistent message and call to action.

Advertising That Works would like to help you grow your business. Contact us for a FREE consultation.

Last month I discussed the reasons for advertising in my blog entitled “I Don’t Need to Advertise…or Do I?” (Go to our blog at www.advertising-works.com)

This month I’d like to help you take the next step in a discussion about “Getting Ready to Advertise,” which will discuss strategy, action plan, planning an advertising budget, and types of advertising media.

First off, I’d like to share a simple Advertising Strategy Worksheetwith you, which is a good start for anyone considering an advertising campaign. All advertising professionals use this strategy in one form or another.

1) What is your product or service? (List primary and secondary products and services.)

2) What are your primary selling points, e.g., only one of its kind, easiest to use, etc.?

4) What is the profile of your target prospect, e.g., age, gender, income, education, geographic location, and other demographics?

5) What is the belief that you want your advertising to establish, e.g., that your product/service is the best choice they can make, that it far surpasses any other, that it will make their life easier, etc.?

These six considerations will help your creative team come up with “The Big Picture” or creative approach (copy and design) for your advertising.

What is Your Purpose?

Next, you must decide the purpose of your advertising by defining its goals. You must set measurable goals so as to evaluate the success of your advertising campaign. Do you wish to increase sales by 25 percent this year? Do you want to target younger or older buyers? Or any number of goals.

How Much To Spend

Importantly, you must decide how much you can afford to invest. The U.S. Small Business Administration recommends spending 7 to 8 percent of your gross revenue for marketing and advertising if you’re doing less than $5 million a year in sales and your net profit margin — after all expenses — is in the 10 percent to 12 percent range.

In 2010 the Chief Marketing Officers, or CMO, Council conducted a survey of its 6,000 chief marketing officer members to assess marketing and advertising spending across a wide range of industries. The survey results revealed that 58 percent of chief marketing officers spent less than 4 percent of gross revenue on marketing, 16 percent spent between 5 and 6 percent, 23 percent spent more than 6 percent, while 2 percent spent more than 20 percent. This survey seems to suggest that if you set your spending level between 0 percent and 6 percent of gross revenue, you will be in good company that includes 74 percent of the CMO Council membership.

Know Your Competition

Know your competitors and their strengths and weaknesses in order to find out what they offer that you lack, or the other way around. This will help you to set apart your product/service so prospects will want to do business with you.

Know Your Industry

You should know the ins and outs of your industry, keep up with industry and market trends, and stay on top of constantly changing technology. Read trade publications and join professional organizations.

There are many types of media from which to choose: print (newspapers and magazines), direct mail, outdoor advertising, Web advertising, social media, blogs, email blasts, and press releases. It’s best to have an advertising professional work with you on the type of “marketing mix” that would be most appropriate for your specific goals, keeping in mind, of course, your advertising budget. A professional can also help you set your advertising schedule. An ongoing campaign that serves to reinforce your brand is always best, with a consistent image and message across all media.

Welcome to the World of Advertising! It’s Guaranteed to Help Grow Your Business.

I hope you’ve found this blog helpful in starting your advertising efforts. Keep an eye out for our next blog that will discuss conversion of leads and measuring the success of your advertising campaign.

We get results for our clients because of our extensive research of the client company and research of their target audience, an advertising strategy based on this research, and killer creative that speaks to prospects in a language they understand and that delivers a consistent message and call to action.

Advertising That Works would like to help you grow your business. Contact us for a FREE consultation.

In my business I sometimes come across business owners who feel they do not need to advertise. They believe that if they “build it” customers “will come.”

Often their reasoning is that they have tried this or that advertising with no results. But the “this or that” advertising included no research of their target audience, no strategy in choosing what is said or how it should look, or in selecting appropriate media.

Also it was usually written and designed by amateurs. Of course it didn’t work. Any money spent on this type of “advertising” is money out the window. Furthermore, it could do more harm than good by putting out an inaccurate message or shabby presentation that damages your company image.

Another reason given for not advertising is that the company is doing well. That may be—for now. But what if there comes a time that it becomes harder to do well? What if a company offering the same goods or services comes along? If you haven’t advertised, you have no prospective customer base from which to draw. You would have to start branding your business at the last minute and branding is a process that doesn’t happen overnight.

Which brings us to a discussion of why all companies should advertise, even in good times, and why the advertising should be done by professionals. A professional knows how to develop an advertising plan that WILL ACTUALLY WORK. How about that?

First, let’s discuss the reasons that advertising is a must for any business:

1) Business growth. If you want to grow your business you must advertise. Period. If you want to remain where you are—or lose business—don’t advertise. Advertising can increase sales, target better clients, or squash your competitors.

2) Protection from sales decline and economic ups and downs. You need advertising even when you’re busy or during bad economic times, because without advertising you may be alright for a while but eventually you’ll see sales decrease due to attrition or a not-so-great economy.

3) The need for prospective customers. You must reach out to prospective customers. This should be an ongoing process. You’ll be pulling new customers in while letting existing customers know the new and wonderful things you have to offer. In advertising and sales the old adage applies: “Out of sight, out of mind.” It’s called brand reinforcement.

4) The ability to control your message. Advertising is something that you can control. For instance, if you want to announce a new product, a sale, or a special event, advertising is the only way you can control that specific announcement.

5) The ability to target your ideal customer. A personalized message to a select group is worth a pot of gold.

6) An ideal way to get your content found. Advertising will drive potential customers to your eBooks, seminars, and blog posts that will educate them about your products or services.

7) Increased credibility—and enhancement of your company image, awareness on the part of journalists and referral sources, and increased employee pride in your company.

These are just a few of the top reasons for all companies to advertise. We hope you’ve found them helpful. Tune in next time for Getting Ready to Advertise, which will discuss strategy, action plan, planning an ad budget, types of advertising media, measuring leads, and conversion.

We get results for our clients because of our extensive research of the client company and research of their target audience; an advertising strategy based on this research; and killer creative that speaks to prospects in a language they understand and that delivers a consistent message and call to action.

Advertising That Works would like to help you grow your business. Contact us for a FREE consultation.